Messiah
by Arzosah
Summary: Drabble collection. The mood on Frieza's ship was always morose, and Vegeta unknowingly stood out as a beacon of hope to many. These are their stories. Please read and review.
1. Hell's Angel

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z.

AN: This will be the first of five drabbles. All five are written, it's just a matter of getting them beta'd. The next one should be up within a week. Enjoy.

**Messiah**

**Hell's Angel**

You saved my life, you know. I doubt you care. I don't matter to you, after all. But you matter to me now. Like nothing has ever mattered before. I want to thank you, Vegeta, but you'd never let me get near enough to tell you. You avoid contact with everyone but your men, don't you, and I am little more than a lowly grunt, completely beneath your interest.

It was the battle of Purgata, do you remember that? Of course _I_ remember, it was in that battle that I came close enough to death to see the value of my salvation. You weren't even aiming to save me with that well placed blast; I'm sure all you saw was an enemy making an easy target of himself. But you did save me, Vegeta, and I thank you for that.

There is a legend among my people, of Guardian Angels that swoop in only when they are needed most, bringing hope and salvation wherever they go. In that moment you became my Guardian Angel, Vegeta, though I doubt it means anything to you. And you looked the part to, flying high above us, untouchable, raining fire and death down upon our mutual enemies.

Okay, maybe you weren't the holy, benevolent creature the legends spoke of, but you were still an Angel. One born of the fires of Hell, but an Angel nonetheless. In that moment when my death had been delayed I could almost see your shining, golden halo, and dark wings forming from the smoke that swirled around you. It was almost funny, until that moment I hadn't given you any more thought than you no doubt give me; I barely even saw you. But now you mean more to me than my own existence.

I'd spent my days before that battle wanting to die; did you know that, Vegeta? You'd probably be surprised just how many of us are here against our wills; just like you. But when you saved me, I realized something: I didn't want to die; I just wanted to be free. And now I know that death is no longer the only way out.

I hear the whispers, Vegeta, the rumors about your steadily increasing strength, about your power that never seems to reach its peak. There is not a soul on this ship that doesn't know of your hatred for Frieza, our mutual oppressor. We all know how badly you want him dead. And there is nothing to stop you from one day becoming more powerful than him.

I await that glorious day, Vegeta, the day you free us all from the cold-hearted tyrant. So fly, my cruel, fiery Angel, lead us all to salvation. Where you go, I will follow.

_But he never got to see his dreams realized. Three years before the battle of Namek, he was killed during one of Frieza's temper tantrums. And Vegeta never even knew he existed._


	2. Silent Prayer

AN: Thank you to all my reviewers. Glad you like it. And yeah, all of the speakers are going to remain nameless, though some of them, like this current one, will represent nameless characters that appeared in the anime. I've left hints; see if you can figure out which one this is. So, enjoy.

**Silent Prayer**

I'm always the first to react when you are brought in to us, heavily wounded. I don't think you notice it then, too focused on controlling your pain. But you notice me afterwards, don't you, Vegeta. I always stick around when you are recovering; you are the only one who receives this kind of beside manner from me. You may not know that the treatment I give you is special, but you do consistently recognize me; I'm the only medic in the entire base you call 'Doc'. Everyone else is the detached 'Doctor', or the disrespectful 'Hey, You'.

But right now you are a mess, dripping copious amounts of blood, limbs skewed, indicating many broken bones. And yet you still thrash, hiss, and spit like a cornered animal, too delirious from blood loss to realize that we are trying to help you. But your wounds are so severe and your joints so swollen that we need to cut you out of your uniform, and that only makes it worse for you, makes you see it as a far more serious assault. It's always the same with you, isn't it, Vegeta. Too proud to accept help that isn't forced on you. But we go through the motions anyway. Do you know how many new protocols were created just because of you?

Eventually we get you sedated and in the tank without causing you—or us—any further damage. And now comes the part that no one sees, after the rejuvenation process begins and all the other medics move on to other things because I have agreed to monitor you, just like I always do. Now when we are alone in the sterile, darkened chamber, I get on my knees before you and pray.

Proud, paranoid creature that you are, you'd probably take my piety the wrong way, wouldn't you, Vegeta? You'd surely think it was out of pity, but I assure you, it's not. I'm not praying for your recovery or for the salvation of your soul, I am praying for your people's legends to be real; The Super Saiyan—yes, I've heard the talk, people tend to speak as freely in front of medics as they do in front of servants, not realizing that we take in everything.

You Saiyans are not the only ones who Frieza's enslaved. You're not the only ones who need him gone. But unlike the rest of us, it was only your kind that was enslaved and slaughtered out of fear, rather than just because you were there. Yes, Vegeta, he fears you, it's obvious to anyone who knows the signs; the way he pays such close attention to your medical records, the way he always asks for recalculations of your potential (such a fun equation that is, I'm sure you and your men play around with it all the time), the way he keeps you on such a short leash. He fears you, specifically he fears what you may become if left unchecked. Super Saiyan. And I probably want you to achieve that more than you want it for yourself.

And that is why I pray to you, Vegeta. I pray for you to find the power you need to destroy Frieza once and for all. If there truly is a god—my faith was all but dead before I met you and heard the whispers, a silver talisman of a mobius band, one that I now press to my leathery beak, all that is left of my religion—then he would truly be benevolent to grant us both what we seek. But otherwise I am nothing, a weak medic, and all I can do to help you on your journey is keep you alive and pray for your success. So that is what I will do.

_And he would eventually live to see Frieza destroyed. But he never learned the truth of how it happened, and he lived the rest of his days believing that Vegeta had finally done it. And they would never cross paths again._


	3. Avid Disciple

AN: Once again, thank-you to all my reviewers. And those who guessed that the last character was the beaked medic from the end of the Saiyan saga, you guessed correctly! This next one is also a nameless anime character. See if you can guess this one. Enjoy.

**Avid Disciple**

You're such a little spit-fire, aren't you, Vegeta? I don't think there's been a day since the news of your planet's destruction that you haven't been down here in the training halls, working yourself restlessly and dragging your bodyguard down with you. You know the truth without being told, then, the truth that it was no accident. I suppose you now fear for your life, and in your situation that fear is only healthy. I don't hold it against you, little prince with nothing left but yourself and your caretaker.

It's not that I pity you, Vegeta, quite the opposite. You have no idea how alike we are, little Saiyan. And yet so different. Both of our people were betrayed by Frieza, but at least you don't have to live with the blood-traitor who made it all possible (you Saiyans are all together too loyal to each other for that to be possible). Kui, you know him, too, don't you? You probably hate him just as much as I do, but for very different reasons. I can see it in your eyes: you want to kill him, slowly and painfully, as practice for when you finally become strong enough to take down Frieza himself.

But for now you are just a child alone with only one guardian, surrounded on all sides by warriors stronger than you. Your anger at that fact is almost palatable, Vegeta. And there is nothing I can do for you; ever since your arrival Frieza has had an unspoken rule about not helping you. The few soldiers that did try to be nice quickly turned up missing. Nappa has been the one exception to this rule.

I'll be honest, Vegeta, I want to help you, but I can't. You'd probably call me a coward for it if you ever knew, but I am just a flesh and blood mortal with a healthy survival instinct. We all do what we must to stay alive under our shared master.

But there is something I can do for you, and if I do it right I can continue to do it for many years to come. I can take out some of your tormentors for you. This is a warship, after all, filled with warriors from all different races; strife and interpersonal violence are to be expected. A few of those cocky bastards wasted in a mess hall brawl won't cause too much of a stir among the high-ups.

I bet you'd hate me for it, though. Even at this tender age you are such a 'do-it-yourself' kind of guy. I can't fault that, it is an admirable trait to have; I hope you will continue to have it. That's why I'm going to keep my silence on the matter.

But that's not why I watch you now, Vegeta. I watch you in begrudging admiration. Because you have something I don't: hope. That's the thing about Saiyans; you never stop getting stronger, while the rest of us on this ship will remain at the same level for the rest of our lives. For now you are weak by comparison, but you know full well that that is only temporary. I suspect you will be one of the strongest of us by the time you reach adulthood.

That is why I watch you, Vegeta; I am trying to achieve that precious thing you have found for yourself. I'd like to have hope, too. And you are, unfortunately, the only source.

Everyone trapped in Hell needs a savior; I guess I'll let you be mine.

_In the end, he finally found his hope and courage, all thanks to the Saiyan's rebellion. He would die denouncing Frieza while the tyrant fought for his life on Namek. He would die believing that Vegeta had finally done it._


	4. Holy Light

AN: I continue to thank my readers for all the reviews. This next one is a completely original character. Enjoy.

**Holy Light**

You don't like it when I follow you, anyone can tell. My distant presence makes the hairs on the back of your neck rise, doesn't it, Vegeta? I'm sorry, it can't be helped, it's just the aura my kind projects, even Frieza is unnerved by me. I'm sorry, but I need to be here, trailing after you as often as I can. You hasten your pace when you know I'm there, probably thinking that I am here on orders. But this is of my own volition, young Saiyan, though I doubt it will ever make a difference to you.

You know about me, everyone on the ship knows about me, the Umbraran assassin Frieza picked up from a derelict ship on some random planet whose name holds no meaning to anybody. My kind is rare in these parts of the galaxy, and finding one desperate enough to swear allegiance to Frieza is even rarer. And I was desperate then, so very desperate. I had needed means to get out of my current situation, though now I feel that is was a leap from the proverbial frying pan to the fire.

But I'm not sure you care about that, considering everyone but your two squad-mates enemies. I understand you perfectly, Vegeta, being even more alone than you. But that's not why I spend our free time spying on you. No it was something I heard, something that has Frieza so paranoid that he forbids any of his men from speaking of it in his presence. It is a paranoia that centers on you, Vegeta, a fear of what you could become.

The rumors speak of a legend, a legend that had a very firm grounding in reality. Your planet may be long gone, but plenty of your people's records still survive. The whispers speak of a Super Saiyan; the records speak of a Saiyan who at the time of his death was more powerful than Frieza could ever dream of being. A Saiyan who's life closely resembled that of a giant star; brief, destructive, and with an abrupt, explosive end. He's in your pedigree, Vegeta, but I'm sure you already knew that. Goldentail, they called him.

And now comes the funny, ironic part of my tale, Vegeta: it was known that the first Super Saiyan was a being of golden light, his aura alone enough to scorch the eyes of his enemies. There were even some accounts of him vaporizing whole armies with that divine power of his alone. And if you, too, find that golden aura some day, it will do more than blind me; odds are it will kill me. My kind is extremely sensitive to bright lights, you see.

Now a wiser Umbraran who believed in you would stay away, avoid your presence like a plague. But I am not a wise Umbraran, I am a desperate one with little else left to live for. I want to be there, Vegeta, I want to be there when you finally become the golden god you so greatly desire to be. I want to die knowing that Frieza is doomed and his crimes avenged.

So here I am, stalking your heels as often as I can, ignoring your paranoia and backward glares. Don't worry, I don't take it personally; it's just the way you are. I accept it, Vegeta, just like you will no doubt one day accept my presence in your shadow. I await your ascension, little Super Saiyan. And knowing you, you would not dream of disappointing me.

_She would eventually live to see Vegeta's ascension, and experience her death at his hands, but not in the way she originally expected. It was long after Frieza's death, when the Saiyan prince finally found and killed his former shadow._


	5. Cherished Martyr

AN: Well, here's the last one in the set. Enjoy.

**Cherished Martyr**

I can barely contain my amazement; can barely keep my expression schooled and neutral like it's supposed to be. With the beating you've just received you shouldn't even be able to move, let alone stand up; let alone continue to offer defiance. Frieza snarls and you smirk back. Color me thoroughly impressed, Vegeta.

The Icejian's tail lashes out, blindsiding you, and knocking you back to the floor. But you just laugh and sneer, chiding him about his inability to hold his temper. He screams his fury and lashes out at you again, striking you hard across your shoulders. I can hear bones breaking, but you keep on laughing, admonishing him for only proving your point.

You aren't the strongest among us, not by a long shot, but there is something you have that no one else here has: perseverance. The damage you can withstand, the sheer amount of punishment you can take, and the fact that you can do it all with a smile on your face, is something not even Frieza's elite have been shown to be capable of. I could never dream of doing what you are right now. I am not worthy to stand in your presence, let alone watch your torture.

But I have to watch; Frieza loves having an audience, and I was one of the random soldiers selected to form it this time. Most of us don't want to be here, but most for the same different reason; these little… sessions… he has with you are quite a regular thing, and previous witnesses who talked about it quickly turned up missing. Any fool would know that that is your doing, Vegeta. Your pride is infamous, after all; you won't let any slight against it go unpunished if you can help it. But don't worry; I'm sure by now we all know to keep our silence.

Frieza's finished with you now, it seems. He has taken a step back from you and has closed his eyes, focusing all of his effort into calming his breathing. You seem to be using this reprieve to catch your breath too from the looks of it. That condescending smirk now looks a little more pained than it did a moment ago, though you stubbornly continue to hold it.

Yes, Frieza's done for now; he turns his back and walks away, casually ordering someone in the room to bring you to medical. I'm not sure what makes me rush forward to comply, I'd likely just be making myself a target to you, but I do. I reach you first, and no one else approaches; to be expected I suppose. In fact, they've all started to leave the room as well; I remain unsurprised by all this.

You glare balefully up at me as I gingerly lift your injured body, but I submissively avert my gaze. You hiss out a long string of curses through your clenched teeth, but I choose to ignore them. I hope my gestures of deference are apparent to you, or at least will be apparent once you get a chance to reevaluate what happened here today. I don't want you as an enemy, Vegeta.

I want to tell you that, I want to tell you that so badly. I want to tell you how much I admire your stamina and determination. I want to tell you how I am not worthy of standing in your presence, let alone aiding you to the infirmary. But I know I can't, not now and not ever; I know how much you hate sycophants and how they remind you too much of those Frieza keeps closest to him. In the end it seems that admiring you from afar is all I can do. And so my worship will be silent.

You curse at me and struggle halfheartedly as I take you to medical. I don't respond or meet your glare. You have earned the right to think whatever you want of me, you who has endured the most abuse of us all. You who never breaks, you who always fights his rule, you who has unknowingly become a martyr for us all. No one is worthy of such a creature. I no longer care about me.

_Less than a month later, Vegeta cornered and killed him, as well as all the other witnesses to that torture. And he never dwelled on the fact that one of his victims refused to defend himself._


End file.
